Oscar v



(No M0001.)

0. V. BLAZIBR. A TRACE LOOP POR VEHICLES.

010400030; .Patented Apr. 2, 1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR V. BLAZIER, OF GILLETTE, NEW JERSEY.

ATRACE-LOOP FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,630, dated April 2, 1889. Application filed November 6, 188B Serial No. 290,097.- (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR V. BLAZIER, of Gillette, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented `an Improvement in Trace-Loops for Harness, `of which the following is a specification. I

It is usual to affix leather loops upon the shafts of a vehicle, the same projecting inwardly toward the horse an d receiving through .them the traces, and by which such traces are supported and guided, so that they do not drop when the vehicle is going downhill, but the traces under all circumstances move backward and forward in these loops in consequence of the movement of the horse as he travels.

My present invention is for preventing the wear upon the loop and upon the trace heretofore usual in consequence of the movement of the trace against the loop and for holding the loop in a more rigid and accurate position than those heretofore made of leather only.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the loop and its roller and a section of one ofY the shafts. Fig. 2 is aplan view showing the loop and its roller and part of the trace and the shaft.

rlhe shafts A and traces B are of ordinary character, and each shaft has an inwardlyprojecting loop, O, of leather or similar material, passing around the shaft and secured by nails or screws, and within this loop O is a metal plate, D, bent double, so as to be passed within the leather loop, and there are cross bars or straps F, that pass around the leather of the loop to hold the plate D in position within the loop, and there is aroller, G, within vthe outer portion of the loop, such roller being upon a vertical pin or axis, VI-l, passing through the roller and through the plate, and this axis may also pass through the leather of the loop C, and the roller is preferably enlarged or bulging inthe center portion,- so as to conform to the curvature or bend of the outer portion of the loop or plate. It will now be seen that the plate D stiens the leather loop and causes it to retain a nearly-horizontal position projecting inwardly from the shaft, and the trace, passing through thelaop,

is held by the same in its proper position vertically; but the tension upon the trace, which tends to draw the same in a straight line between the whiffletree and the collar, causes the trace to bear against the roller, because there is a small angle formed .in the trace as it passes from the roller toward the collar, and in consequence of this the roller receives the strain and prevents wear of the trace upon the loop, and this roller lessens the friction of one part against the other, so that neither the trace nor the loop is worn by the movement resulting from the action of the animals shoulders upon the collar to which the traces are affixed.

I amaware that rollers have been used as guides for the traces, and these rollers have been upon metallic foot-guards that were fastened within the shafts and used especially in sulkies.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, with the shaft, of the loop projecting inwardly and nearly horizontally, and a roller within the loop, and a vertical pivot-pin for the roller passing through the loop, and, against which the trace passes, substantially as set forth. 2. The combination, with the shaft, of aloop of leather or other flexible material attached to the shaft and projecting inwardly, a metal plate within the loop and bent to a corresponding shape, cross-bars or fastenings for connecting the plate to the leather, a roller, and a vertical axis for the same within the plate, and against which roller the trace passes, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the shaft, of a horizontal and inwardly-projecting loop, a roller within the outer curvature of the loop, said roller being enlarged or bulging in the Iniddle, and a vertical axis passing through the loop and through the roller, substantially as Iset forth.

Signed by Ine this 30th day of October, 1888.

OSCAR V. BLAZIER.

. Witnesses:

WILLIAM M. STILLMAN, IsAAc BEOKAW. 

